Character input device, character input method, and computer-readable storage medium storing a character input program

Abstract

A character input device, method, or stored program, may involve performing operations including acquiring one or more conversion candidates for a character string input to the character input device, a detector detecting selection of a conversion candidate, confirming, as a first character string of the input character string, and acquiring one or more follow-up candidates that follow the first character string. As the one or more follow-up candidates, a character string or strings representing a state of an event related to the confirmed first character string, may be acquired. The detector may receive selection of an acquired follow-up candidate. The follow-up candidate whose selection is received by the detector may be confirmed as a new second character string that has continuity with the first character string last confirmed.

1 . A character input device comprising:
 a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising:
 operation as a conversion candidate acquisition unit configured to acquire one or more conversion candidates for a character string that is input to the character input device; and 
   a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 operation as a detector configured to detect selection of a conversion candidate acquired by the conversion candidate acquisition unit; and 
 operation as a confirmation unit configured to confirm, as a first character string of the input character string, the conversion candidate whose selection is detected by the detector; wherein 
   the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising operation as a follow-up candidate acquisition unit configured to acquire one or more follow-up candidates that follow the first character string confirmed by the confirmation unit, the one or more follow-up candidates comprising a character string or strings representing a state of an event related to the confirmed first character string, and   the controller is configured to perform operations such that
 operation as the detector comprises receiving selection of a follow-up candidate acquired by the follow-up candidate acquisition unit, and 
 operation as the confirmation unit confirms, as a new second character string that has continuity with the first character string last confirmed, the follow-up candidate whose selection is received by the detector. 
   
     
     
         2 . The character input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises searching for and acquiring one or more follow-up candidates that respectively follow the one or more conversion candidates acquired by the conversion candidate acquisition unit.   
     
     
         3 . The character input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises searching for and acquiring, for the conversion candidate confirmed as the first character string or for the follow-up candidate confirmed as the second character string, one or more follow-up candidates that follow the first character string or the second character string.   
     
     
         4 . The character input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each conversion candidate acquired by the conversion candidate acquisition unit, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in a case where selection of the conversion candidate is detected by the detector.   
     
     
         5 . The character input device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in a case where selection of the follow-up candidate is received by the detector.   
     
     
         6 . A character input method in which a computer executes:
 acquiring one or more conversion candidates for a character string that is input;   receiving selection of a conversion candidate acquired in the acquiring one or more conversion candidates;   confirming, as a first character string of the input character string, the conversion candidate whose selection is received in the receiving selection of the conversion candidate; and   acquiring one or more follow-up candidates that follow the first character string confirmed in the confirming the conversion candidate, the one or more acquired follow-up candidates comprising a character string or strings representing a state of an event related to the confirmed first character string, wherein   receiving the selection of the conversion candidate comprises receiving a selection of a follow-up candidate acquired in acquiring the one or more follow-up candidates, and   confirming the conversion candidate comprises confirming the received selection of the follow-up candidate as a new second character string that has continuity with the first character string last confirmed.   
     
     
         7 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a character input program, which when read and executed, causes a computer to perform operations comprising:
 acquiring one or more conversion candidates for a character string that is input;   receiving selection of a conversion candidate acquired in the acquiring one or more conversion candid;   confirming, as a first character string of the input character string, the conversion candidate whose selection is received in the acquiring one or more conversion candidates; and   acquiring one or more follow-up candidates that follow the first character string confirmed in the confirming the conversion candidate, the one or more acquired follow-up candidates comprising a character string or strings representing a state of an event related to the confirmed first character string, wherein   receiving the selection of the conversion candidate comprises receiving a selection of a follow-up candidate acquired in acquiring the one or more follow-up candidates, and   confirming the conversion candidate comprises confirming the received selection of the follow-up candidate as a new second character string that has continuity with the first character string last confirmed.   
     
     
         8 . The character input device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each conversion candidate acquired by the conversion candidate acquisition unit, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in a case where selection of the conversion candidate is detected by the detector.   
     
     
         9 . The character input device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each conversion candidate acquired by the conversion candidate acquisition unit, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in a case where selection of the conversion candidate is detected by the detector.   
     
     
         10 . The character input device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in in response to selection of the follow-up candidate being received by the detector.   
     
     
         11 . The character input device according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in response to selection of the follow-up candidate being received by the detector.   
     
     
         12 . The character input device according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in response to selection of the follow-up candidate being received by the detector.   
     
     
         13 . The character input device according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in response to selection of the follow-up candidate being received by the detector.   
     
     
         14 . The character input device according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the processor is configured with the program such that operation as the follow-up candidate acquisition unit comprises acquiring, for each follow-up candidate currently acquired, one or more follow-up candidates to be acquired in response to selection of the follow-up candidate being received by the detector.